From tree to ship

Any sailing ship comprised a vast number of structural parts
in a great range of different shapes and sizes. which first had
to be found in the trees; some branch, trunk or root had to
be located with the same natural shape.
From the long straight keel that formed the backbone of the
ship to the twisted knees needed to join the decks to the
hull, the ship's carpenters had to find wood whose grain
faithfully followed the outline on the template. This helped
ensure that the ships would stand up to the strong winds and
raging sea.
With naturally shaped trees in short supply (a result of mass
consumption by Basque shipyards), trees began to be especially
cultivated for the purpose, by training the young flexible
branches of the oaks into the shapes of specific parts.